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Self-Publishing Diary

Tuesday June 24th – Self-publishing blog diary

Did an AI for Inside Notting Hill – which I feel is being rather neglected – and send it out to around 80 London bookshops. I didn’t have Central distributing it before but now at least anyone will be able to order it. I’m thinking of possibly doing a cheaper edition of Halfway to Venus…
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Thursday June 19th – Self-publishing blog diary

Very nice review today in the Independent by Virginia Ironside and a piece in the Wexas Traveller magazine about ‘Why I wrote the book’ – I suppose the point of this blog is really over. The book is published and out and I’m just accumulating reviews – nice though that is (as to date they’ve…
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Thursday June 12th – Self-publishing blog diary

Help what a gap – so what’s been happening? Daily (or rather hourly) checks on my rating on Amazon. Fluctuates from 2 thousand and something up to twenty thousand and something. But that must mean its still selling. The reviews I sent to Amazon STILL haven’t been added – or rather only the very first…
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Thursday May 21st – – Self-publishing blog diary

I’ve been slack about writing the blog … so what’s been happening? I spent most of Monday preparing the talk for the Broadway Bookshop (which happened last night) – very nice atmosphere. Full house which meant about 20 people and I think a fair amount of books were sold. I’m still trying to get a…
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Friday May 16th and Saturday May 17th – Self-publishing blog diary

What I left out earlier in the week was the fact that on Tuesday I’d been on Radio 5 Live with Victoria Derbyshire. On Saturday morning I did Saturday Live with Fi Glover – the most nervewracking radio to date – not least because I realised that so many people I knew would be listening…
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Tuesday 13th, Wed 14th and Thurs 15th – Self-publishing blog diary

Waterstones put in their core stock order – books are being sent to 150 of their shops – mostly one copy to each – but it’s a beginning. Do a phone interview with Three Counties Radio film programme – although inevitably they ask about the film – I am actually able to talk about the…
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Friday May 9th – Monday May 12th – Self-publishing blog diary

Another good review in the Daily Mail by Kate Chisholm – its not on the Mail website though – so can’t put it on-line. No other reviews over weekend – although keep checking online. My Amazon sales ranking fluctuate but go up to 2290 at one point and then Amazon are out of stock… Infuriating….
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Thursday May 8th – Self-publishing blog diary

Review by Byron Rogers in the Spectator – not sure what it’ll do for my reputation as he starts it off by saying I threw a kettle at him … (it’s true – I did!) – but the review is very flattering.Do live interview with Radio Manchester and recorded interview with Radio Jersey – both…
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Wednesday May 7th – Self-publishing blog diary

On Bank Holiday Monday go and do some super-market shopping for the launch. Catch up on e-mails etc. On Tuesday a friend helps me to take the books and soft drinks to John Murrays in Albemarle Street where the launch kicks off at 6.30pm. It goes really well I think – a great turnout of…
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Sunday May 4th – Self-publishing blog diary

‘Me and My travels’ appears on the back page of the Escape section of the Observer. I do a telephone interview with Claire Saul for My Weekly – which apparently has a circulation of 500,000. Write to Bookforce who have belatedly sent me an invoice for my proof copies. Instead of a 2-3 day turn-around…
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